


i'm here to ease your worries (because you're everything to me)

by rinhail



Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Boys Kissing, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-24
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-06-04 07:58:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6648973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinhail/pseuds/rinhail
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The new pard members aren't as welcoming towards Nathaniel, and it's caused the man to feel something he hasn't in a long time—depressed. But lucky for him, he has an amazing King, who will set his heart at ease.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i'm here to ease your worries (because you're everything to me)

**Author's Note:**

> This can take place in any of the books. Although, I don't remember Mrs. Hamilton ever writing about Anita and Micah receiving new leopard members. *shrugs* Anyway, I just wanted to write something for one of my all-time favorite pairings. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the series or its characters.

The first thing Micah notices as he steps into the shared apartment is the oppressing air. It's thick, stifling, and makes Micah tense. He hangs up his coat and bowler hat, sets his briefcase down and slips his shoes off, then walks down the small hallway and into the open-concept living space. 

There he sees the source of the oppressing atmosphere. Nathaniel, one of his lovers, lies on his belly on the living room couch. Micah notices he's still wearing his beaten up sneakers. Nathaniel has always reminded him and Anita about the importance of home etiquettes, such as taking your shoes off at the door. So something must be wrong for Nathaniel to disregard those principles

Micah drops his keys in a wicker basket beside one of the lazy boy chairs and the clank startles Nathaniel.

The younger man whips his head up and around. "I didn't hear you come in."

Nathaniel didn't hear him come in? Something must be wrong. Nathaniel's a leopard—his senses are ten times better than humans. He should have sensed Micah walking up to the door and should have greeted him, too. 

Micah narrows his eyes in worry. He walks over and takes a seat on the coffee table beside the couch. "Nathaniel, have you been crying?"

Nathaniel's eyes grow, and he shakes his head. "No. It's just sinuses."

The lie is pathetically weak. Micah's worry grows. He moves to take the space left on the couch by Nathaniel and touches the man's back. Touch always makes were's feel better.

Nathaniel's eyes close in content, but his happiness quickly crumbles. His chin vibrates and then he abruptly buries his face in the pillow beneath him.

Micah's heart gives a violent pang. He's never seen Nathaniel this distressed, and it's making him feel sick to his stomach. "Nathaniel—sweetie, what's wrong?"

The man doesn't answer except for shaking his head. Micah runs his eyes over the man's body, checking for wounds. He doesn't see any and can't smell any distresses, besides Nathaniel's emotions. He looks back up at the back of Nathaniel's head.

"Nathaniel, please talk to me?"

Nathaniel sniffles and his shoulders begin trembling. Micah moves his hand under the man's white T-shirt for skin on skin contact. He hopes that will help his lover, but all it seems to do is cause Nathaniel to flinch and arch away. 

"Are you mad at me?" Micah asks, swallowing deeply. "Have I offended you?"

Nathaniel shakes his head.

"Did someone else say or do something to you?"

The twitch in Nathaniel's back is light, and if Micah weren't touching there, he wouldn't have noticed.

"Was it Anita?"

Nathaniel shakes his head. 

"Jason?" 

Again, Nathaniel responds negatively. 

"Better not be Asher," Micah says. He's all too familiar with Asher's sharp words and how much damage they can inflict. But Asher's always liked Nathaniel (sometimes a little too much), and when Nathaniel shakes his head, Micah takes a sharp breath. 

Nathaniel finally turns his head, so he's looking at his King with one eye, and bites his lips. "I'm afraid to tell you. I don't want to snitch." 

Micah looks at him puzzled, but Nathaniel's finally talking. He won't blow it by asking the obvious question. Instead, he smiles and runs his fingers through the shorter locks on top of the man's head. "Never feel afraid to talk to me about anything." 

Nathaniel purrs into the touch and bites his bottom lip.

"If it's too much for you," Micah says, bending down to give the man a peck on the cheek. "Unburden yourself. Whatever trouble you carry, let me carry it with you."

Nathaniel swallows and makes to move on his back. Micah moves back and now leans over Nathaniel face-to-face. He smiles, but it's weak. Apparently Nathaniel's been crying a while because his eyes are swollen and red. Even the tip of his perfect nose is rose colored.

Nathaniel reaches for Micah and his fingers dig into his King's forearm. "I'm happy we have new members to the family," he says, "the more, the merrier."

"But?"

Nathaniel waits for his chin to stop vibrating from the onslaught of emotions before he confesses; Micah stroking his wrist helps. "Some of them said I shouldn't be so close to you. They said I should know my place, and a weak leopard like me is only dragging you down; which drags the pard down as a whole."

Micah goes still, and he's pretty sure his face must be contorted in anger because Nathaniel looks about to bolt. Micah wants to spit, yell at Nathaniel (not in anger or because the man is at fault, but to knock some sense in the kitten), and find these members and beat the shit out of them. But he reigns in his flaring rage in long enough to take care of setting Nathaniel straight.

After that—he can't promise he won't be cracking some bones tonight.

"Sweetie," he says, his voice as calm as he can get it. "If you were a burden to me I wouldn't love you so fiercely. I wouldn't live with you, sleep with you, spend my life with you."

"But they said—"

Micah leans in closer, cutting off Nathaniel's words with his proximity. "Have you never had someone be jealous of you?"

"What?" Nathaniel looks puzzled now. "No, they aren't."

"Yes," Micah says, a genuine smile finally forming on his face. "They are." He nudges Nathaniel's nose with his, and his smile grows as Nathaniel giggles. "Because you're beautiful, Nathaniel. Inside and out. They can't stand the fact that you've captured me so completely."

"But," Nathaniel says, worry creeping back in. "They sounded serious."

"I'm sure they were," Micah says. Nathaniel's expression drops. Micah grabs his cheeks. "But they know nothing. They don't know yet how brave and strong you are. How much you've saved me—their King—and how I would be a ship without its anchor if you weren't around." 

Nathaniel's eyes water. "Really?"

Micah smiles and kisses the dear man. He grins as the Nathaniel's tongue swipes across his lips, begging for more, and enters when he readily gives permission.

Micah wants nothing more than to climb on the taller man and show his lover with kisses and touches rather than words how wrong the pard members are. But as distracting as the kiss is becoming, a piece of his mind still festers with boiling anger. He has things to take care. 

He pulls away and Nathaniel whimpers in disappointment. Micah laughs hoarsely and kisses the tip of the man's nose. "Later, sweetie. For now, I think you need a long bath. You've been through an emotional ringer."

"But you can make me relax."

Micah growls at the tempting offer. "Later."

Nathaniel pouts.

"I promise, sweetie," Micah says, licking Nathaniel's chin. "I'll make you forget their words. I'll even strive to make you forget you even held a conversation with them."

Nathaniel groans and reluctantly nods his head. Micah pulls away and stands. Nathaniel follows and gives Micah a small smile and a kiss on the lips. "You did mean everything you said?"

"Stop doubting me and get in the bath."

"I didn't mean to doubt, I just..." 

"Nathaniel," Micah says, growling. "You know I'll never lie to you. But right now I want you in the bath."

"Will you join me?"

Micah sighs. "You've never been patient, have you?"

Nathaniel looks at him depressingly. "I'm sorry."

Micah lifts the man's chin up and looks deep into his eyes. A slow grin stretches across his face. "I relish your impatience." He kisses the man fast and hard. "Get the water running—I'll be there shortly."

Nathaniel grins and dashes off. Micah's smile collapses and his jaw sets. He looks over to the cordless phone and wonders how many of the new pard members he can threaten before Nathaniel calls to him.

**Author's Note:**

> What did you think? Please point out any grammar errors so I can correct them. Thank you for reading. :)


End file.
